Reminding Myself of What I Love

A blog post in progress.

As a way to to stay away from old destructive habits, I want to remind myself of the things I love. What’s great is that I can do most of these things regardless of where I am in the world.

Yoga

I started doing yoga in 8th grade, at age 14, and now it feels as natural as brushing my teeth in the morning. I usually do my hatha yoga 4-7 times a week for about 1-2 hours. A great start to the day — no matter what time I wake up.

Meditating

Meditating at least 5-10 minutes every morning and evening helps me stay calm and balanced. I aim to increase this to 15-20 minutes.

Reading

I love reading. E-books. Blogs. Magazines. Non-fiction. Fiction. (I recently finished Alexandra Pascalidou’s Taxi.)

Writing

Articles. Dream diaries. Short-stories. Novels. Song lyrics. Non-fiction. Screenplays. Blog posts. Even though starting rarely comes easily, I feel much better when I let the words in my mind out.

Music

Music makes everything easier. Soul. R&B. Hip hop. Reggae. Metal. Rock. Pop. Indie. Jazz. House. Alternative. Acoustic. Folk. Classical. Music that makes me happy. Music that touches my heart. I love coming across songs that cause me to stop whatever I’m doing, close my eyes and just listen.

Movies

I love how a movie let you escape reality and enter another world. My target is to watch at least one movie a week, a DVD, online, or in the cinema.

Photography

I got my first camera at age 10 and have loved taking photos ever since.

Water

I love living near water, the sea, lakes, rivers, drinking water, hot showers, cold showers, pools, swimming, bathing (preferably in high waves), snorkeling…  The picture above was taken after an evening swim in Frösakull two days ago.

Walking

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to get around and experience a new place. I also like to go for a morning walk every weekday before breakfast.

Hiking

So far I have hiked in Sweden, Greece, France and Switzerland. I remember my sole hike near Grenoble in the French Alps in 2004 as it it was yesterday, and look forward to more hiking in the future. 

Cycling

Not competing in cycling, only cycling — for exercise and fun. I often prefer to cycle in cities instead of taking public transport.

Jogging/Running

If I don’t run regularly I have a tendency to feel restless. No matter where I am, I keep running.

Dancing

I’m far from the best dancer, but I love dancing — and that’s what matters. 

Food

I love discovering new food. Last month I tasted sea weed salad (pictured above), sushi with mango (delicious!), ‘healthy’ pizza with carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, dinkel focaccia with sweet potatoes, vegetarian moussaka, a superb garlic bread (thanks to the herb mix and gourmet sea salt sprinkled on top), chocolate with liquorice, Indian vegetable mix, and tiramisu (not a vegan dessert but I had to taste it at least once in my life). As I wrote in Karma When Traveling, even though it’s my intention to only eat vegan food, I may not be 100% vegan at all times.

Shopping

In moderation. Mostly clothes, shoes and accessories.

Museums, Art Galleries, Exhibitions

As a kid I loved museums. And Technorama science center in Stockholm. I fell in love with art during modern art class in the gymnasium.

Driving

I haven’t driven properly since 2006 and miss it incredibly much.

Skiing/Snowboarding

I have loved downhill skiing since I first skied in Sälen, Sweden, at the age of 2. I have far less experience in snowboarding but love it almost as much.

Amusement Parks

Who does’t love to feel like a kid again? My favorite amusement parks (so far) are Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Cedar Point in Ohio. Favorite ride? Millennium Force.